Steady vs Rushed
I used to like rushes. When I was in college it was pretty common to have intense periods of study before the season of exams.
I remember having lots of books open on the desk, reading fast and taking lots of notes. And I remember that feeling of “one more week and I am done, I am free”. It usually meant a few weeks off, with no books open on the desk and the possibility to say “yes” when friends invited me out to have some fun.
I have been involved in projects where the rush is the norm. Everything is a rush and there are no breaks in between rushes. Just run, always run. That meant:
- making quick and uninformed choices
- not having time to learn
- not having time to practice/test something new
- not having time to enjoy the ride with with the team members
One of the aspects that I like a lot lately while working on my products is the steadiness of my pace. I occasionally do short rushes, but in general I am like the turtle in this video.
She seems to enjoy the ride, proud of having picked her pace, ignoring the competition. Winning the race looks like side effect.